A New Path
by John Reed
Summary: Clary finds Alec to thank him for saving her life (again) and learns something she did not know before which has unforeseen consequences. Set immediately after the Season 1 finale.
1. A New Path

Clary would have denied it if she had run into anyone and was asked, but she was looking for Alec. He was not in the expected places - his room or the training room - so she was looking elsewhere.

She found him in an isolated corner, looking through a window, looking outside into the night. He must have seen her reflection, because he spoke as she drew near to him.

"Clary," he said without turning around.

"Hey, Alec," she replied as she moved to stand next to him and looked out of the same window. She saw the city lights and wondered what he was thinking about, when he spoke again.

"How's your mother?" he asked.

He had turned to face her now, so she faced him. "She's good," Clary said, smiling a little. "She's in the shower. It turns out that, after being in suspended in a coma, or spell or whatever, she wants to clean up, to look into a mirror and make sure everything is just the way she wants it."

Alec nodded and turned to look outside again.

"I told her she looked great," Clary continued, but still she..." Clary let herself trail off, unsure if he was really listening to her.

She turned to look outside as well. "How's yours?" she asked. Before he turned to look at her again, she saw the confusion on his face. "Your mother," she clarified quickly.

Alec shrugged. "Embarrassed, humiliated."

"I'm sorry," Clary said without really thinking.

"Why?" Alec asked, turning to face her again as he spoke. "It wasn't you, it was me."

Clary hesitated. This wasn't really the reason she was looking for him, but she felt some responsibility for what happened. "If we had just given the Mortal Cup to the Clave like you said, none of this would have happened."

"I'm not sure that's what humiliated her." Alec said, softly.

"Well, it didn't help. And now Valentine has the Cup."

"Hodge would have found a way to get it to Valentine no matter what we did," Alec told her.

Clary had to break eye contact, so she looked outside again. "Maybe, but I'm sorry about Lydia, too."

"That was your fault - at least a little."

Clary's head jerked back to look at him. "What? What did I do?"

Alec didn't look at her, and didn't respond immediately, though she continued to stare at him. He hesitated a few seconds, then finally turned to her.

"When you came to us, to the Institute, I couldn't stand you,"

"I could tell," Clary said under her breath, unsure if he heard. If he did, he didn't respond, but continued as if she hadn't spoken.

"Jace was doing things for you, taking risks. He was changing because of you. I guess he was falling in love with you."

Clary bit her lip and looked down.

"You thought that was what bothered me, and you were right. But it wasn't that I wanted him to be in love with me, like you thought."

Her eyes flew back to his, she could feel the confusion on her face.

He shrugged again, "I mean, I wouldn't have complained if he did, but that wasn't it. I could see the effect you were having on him, and," he took a breath before continuing, "you were having the same effect on me."

Clary couldn't pull her eyes away, but she wanted to. After a few seconds, Alec turned to look outside again.

"I didn't know how to deal with that, so I didn't treat you all that well. But when I realized I felt something for you, it opened my eyes, in a way. I was hearing about our family's reputation and how it needed to be restored, and because of you I knew I could feel something for someone who wasn't..." he shook his head before continuing, "so I ..."

"So you took a chance with Lydia?" Clary interrupted, glad to have the attention off of herself for a little. "But your family's reputation wasn't your fault."

Alec snorted. "And neither were your problems with your parents. You still had to try help with that, and so did I."

Clary nodded, understanding. "Lydia is a good person - she did the right thing in the end," she noted.

"She wanted to do what was right all along," Alec said. "She followed the law as far as she could. The law and what is right are not different very often."

Clary felt that the comment was meant to criticize her, so she defended herself. "The Clave just wanted the Cup, they didn't care about the law."

"Lydia cared about the law, but she figured it out." Alec shook his head. "Anyway, that's over."

"But now you have Magnus," Clary noted, trying to be encouraging.

Alec laughed a little. "I have a date with Magnus, maybe. It's more of a promise to get a drink with him sometime. I did learn something about him though, I learned that I'm not the only one he's ever loved - if he even loves me."

Clary scowled. "Camille's a bitch. You know she set you up."

Alec nodded. "I do. The point still stands. I'm not sure what to do with it yet. I'm not sure how I feel about it, just like I'm not sure what to do with what I feel for..."

He looked at her, as if not wanting to finish the statement. Then he changed the subject. "Did you want something from me?"

Clary hesitated, then nodded. "I wanted to thank you for, for keeping me from going into the portal."

Alec nodded. "Losing Jace was enough. I didn't want to lose you as well."

She wasn't sure how to respond, wasn't sure exactly what she was feeling. "We'll get him back," she finally managed to say, "And the Cup." Then she shook her head. "I can't believe Valentine messed with his mind like that."

Alec looked a little confused, so she continued. "Jace told me he didn't know who he was anymore. He thought something was wrong with him."

"After he found out that he's your brother?" Alec asked.

Clary nodded, feeling herself flush just a little.

"And you? Do you feel the same?"

It was Clary who shrugged this time. "I told him we'd figure it all out."

"But you have no idea how," Alec continued when she didn't finish. He was looking at her intently again.

Clary could only nod, then shake her head. She looked away as she repeated "No idea." She hesitated and turned back to him. "I should probably go back to my mother," though she did not turn to leave.

Alec nodded. "You're welcome for keeping you from jumping into the portal. And with things so screwed up, I wanted you to know that you and Jace - the way I acted wasn't why you thought. You helped me, you made me see that I needed to take a chance, with Lydia, and with..." He trailed off.

"The other think you told me," she finished for him.

Alec nodded.

"I don't know what I...I..." She closed her eyes and took a breath. "I can't do anything, think anything until we have Jace back."

Alec's face remained somber as he nodded.

"He was so upset about things," she added. "I have no idea what he's thinking anymore."

"I don't know either," Alec said. "But I have known him a little longer than you have." He looked like he might say more, but it looked like he changed his mind and he just shook his head.

"And?" she prompted.

"Maybe, just maybe, he wanted to make sure if Valentine had the Cup, he would be there as well. Maybe he's looking for a chance to bring it back."

Clary wanted to believe that was it, but wasn't sure it mattered just then. She tried to force a smile, but knew it hadn't worked. "Maybe," she said as she turned to leave.

She took a couple of steps, but turned back to him. He was facing the window again, looking into the night.

"Alec," she said and waited for him to turn around. "Since you told me...what you did...you should know something as well. When I was running to the portal and you grabbed me, all I wanted to do was get away, to follow Jace. But when you told me why you did it, what you were keeping me from...when you pulled me close as I watched the portal close, I knew that with you is where I needed to be. Where I wanted to be. I didn't want to be anywhere else."

Clary closed her eyes and took a breath. "I don't know what it means. I can't even think about it until..."

"Until Jace is back," Alec interrupted. "I know."

Clary nodded, turned around and went to join her mother.


	2. The Mission

The Hug 

Clary was on her way to have breakfast, still thinking about what Alec had told her the night before. She ended up thinking about him, about what he had said to her, from the moment she left him until she fell asleep. If she thought things would change in the morning, she was wrong. She had seen some things, and Alec had done things around her, for her. Had she just misinterpreted them?

She realized as she was walking that she had almost forgotten about Jace. She shook her head as she walked. She needed to focus on Jace. He was what mattered just now.

She was so consumed by her thoughts as she walked that she had paid no attention to anyone around her, at least she paid no attention until someone grabbed her arm and said "Clary!" as he pulled her to face him.

Clary was startled. She gave him a push on his chest with her free hand and tried to take a step back. The she realized who it was.

"Simon!" she said as she shook her arm free. Then when she saw how startled he was at her reaction, she quickly apologized.

"Sorry, you just startled me." She realized that while she had thought about Alec and Jace all night, she had completely forgotten about Simon.

"It's OK," Simon said, pulling her into a hug. She didn't resist, she even found herself returning the hug. Simon's friendship was something normal and she needed some normal just then.

He didn't release her right away, and she began to think about pulling away when she heard Simon speak to someone behind her, his tone surprising her.

"What? Got a problem?"

Clary did pull away now. She glanced at Simon, a little confused by his expression. Then she turned around and saw that Alec was glaring at him. Isabelle stood next to Alec, her eyes moving between her brother and Simon, watching them curiously.

Alec didn't respond to Simon, but held his eyes for a couple of seconds before looking at Clary.

Alec's expression was still hard when he spoke to her. "Come and find me when you can..." He shook his head before adding "when you can pull yourself away from him."

Alec turned around and started walking away. Clary could hear Simon draw in a breath as if he was going to say something. She quickly turned back to him. "Simon, don't!" she said, raising a finger in warning. She then turned to look back at Alec. he was just turning to walk into a hallway.

Isabelle had been watching him, but she turned to Clary now. "Clary, what the..." she began, then left to follow her brother.

Clary felt herself closing her eyes and sighing.

"Who does he think..." Simon began before Clary cut him off.

"Please don't," she said without even opening her eyes. She took a breath before turning to face him.

"Clary?" Simon said as she faced him. His face was confused now.

She sighed, closed her eyes again, and shook her head. Then she looked at him.

"I'm hungry. Come and get breakfast with me?"

Simon smiled a little, though he still looked a little confused. She started walking, without waiting to see what he would do.

* * *

The Feelings

"Do you want to explain what just happened?" Isabelle challenged as she caught up with Alec.

Alec kept walking, though he really had no destination in mind. He just wanted to put distance between him and Clary. Well, not Clary, really, just the sight of her and Simon. Mostly he wanted away from Simon. "Do I look like I want to explain anything?"

Isabelle tugged at his arm to get him to stop. Then she turned him to face her. He was not resisting at all.

"Alec, we need to talk to Clary. So Simon was there - so what? It's not like he doesn't know what we're doing here."

Alec looked at her but really didn't see her. Maybe he should just go back to his room and start this day over.

Isabelle was still talking. "Do you know what you acted like? You acted like a jealous..." she said, before cutting herself off. Her face softened. Before it had shown irritation which did not surprise him. Now it showed compassion.

"Oh, Alec," she said quietly.

He decided that his room was the definitely place to be. He turned and started walking again.

Isabelle kept up. "You should talk to her, I mean, if you really..."

"I did talk to her," he said shortly.

"Then you should talk to me. Alec...please."

He stopped and turned to her. He kept control - he always did. "And say what? What do you want to hear?"

"I want to hear what you feel," Isabelle said. "You should talk to someone about what you feel."

Alec stared at her. "I feel that we have a mission tonight. I felt that Clary might want to come with us, might help us. I'm not so sure anymore."

"There is the mission," Isabelle agreed, "and she should come with us. She would want to. But..."

"Then maybe you should tell her about it, then tell me if she's coming." Alec headed for his room, a little relieved that his sister did not follow him.

* * *

The Effect

Isabelle found Clary with her mother and Simon. It looked like they had been eating breakfast together, but now were just talking. Really, Simon was talking to Jocelyn. Isabelle kept her distance and waited for Clary to see her, then signaled for Clary to come to her. She was relieved when Clary excused herself and joined her.

Isabelle watched Clary as she approached – the red-head looked a little unsure.

"Isabelle," Clary said, but did not continue.

"Alec asked me to talk to you," Isabelle said. "He was going to tell you when we saw you this morning, but…" She let the word hang.

"But Simon," Clary said. Isabelle only nodded, so she continued, "What was he going to say?"

"We have a mission tonight." Isabelle said. "We could use your help, if you're willing to come."

"My help?' Clary asked. "I've never thought he thought I would be good enough."

Isabelle considered her reply. "He knows you're training hard. It was really more my idea. Anyway, it's not supposed to be a fight, just some recon."

Isabelle looked at Clary expectantly.

Clary nodded. "OK. Tell him…" but was cut off by Isabelle.

"You should tell him yourself."

Clary was trying to think of a response when Isabelle spoke again. "Clary, what happened between you and Alec?"

Clary cringed. "You were there."

Isabelle let her annoyance show as she said, "I was, and I saw the way Alec acted when he saw you and Simon. I mean, what happened between you two that would make him act like that."

Isabelle didn't continue, so Clary asked, "Did Alec say anything?"

"He said you two talked, but did not elaborate. Maybe you would like to?"

"Elaborate?" Clary repeated, then shook her head.

Isabelle just looked at the other girl for a moment, then sighed before speaking softly.

"You know Alec, Clary. He doesn't...talk about much other than training and missions."

"I know," Clary whispered.

"Plus, things are hard for him right now – Jace, whatever is going on with Magnus, Lydia, our parents. He's having a hard time, but he keeps it all inside. He does what he thinks he should, what he thinks he needs to do, and he still only talks about training and missions."

Clary looked down, unable to say anything.

"So if he said something to you, something about what he feels, you need to know that it's serious." Clary looked back up into Isabelle's eyes as she continued. "Please treat it that way, don't treat it lightly."

"Of course not," Clary said quickly. "I understand."

Isabelle stared at Clary long enough to make the red-head uncomfortable. Then nodded as if satisfied.

Clary wondered what else she could say when Isabelle's expression began to change from serious to a smirk of amusement.

"So," Isabelle began, "Do you have this effect on all of the guys around you?"

Clary did not understand. "Effect?"

"Does every guy you spend any time with fall in love with you? Like at your school? I wish I could have seen…"

"What? Love?"

"Everyone I've seen you with – Jace, Alec, Simon…"

"Simon?" Clary repeated. "No! We're just friends!"

"Of course there was Raphael – I'm not sure he fell in love with you." Isabelle seemed to be talking more to herself than Clary.

"He's a vampire!"

"Of course he did bring Simon to you, let you choose his fate. Maybe it was some kind of love offering."

"Isabelle!" Clary cried.

Isabelle's expression suddenly turned hard. "Stay away from Meliorn!" she demanded sharply. Then turning to leave she added, "And don't be late for training."

As Clary watched Isabelle leave, she was startled by a voice from behind her.

"What was that about?" Jocelyn asked.

Clary took a moment to calm herself, then turned to her mother. She could see Simon approaching as well.

"I need to catch her, tell her something," she lied quickly. "Stay with Simon for a few minutes?"

Clary did not wait for a response, she just left quickly.

* * *

Working and Figuring

Alec heard the knock on his bedroom door. He wasn't sure whether to hope that it was Clary, or that it wasn't her.

"Who is it," he asked.

"It's me…" the voice hesitated, "It's Clary."

Alec sighed. "Come in."

As she did, Alec stood up. "Do you want to sit?"

Clary forced a smile and said "Sure", sitting where his indicated. He pulled up a chair and sat facing her. Then he just looked at her expectantly.

"Isabelle told me about the mission tonight." When he only nodded, she added, "I'd like to come with you."

"Did she tell you what it is?" He asked.

Clary shook her head. "She just said 'recon'." Then she forced another smile, "Six eyes are better than four, right?"

Alec only nodded. She hoped he would say more, but he didn't. She sighed and said, "Alec, about Simon…" though she didn't go on.

"What about Simon?" he asked.

Clary was a little relieved that he had finally spoken. "He's been my friend forever," then she hesitated, wanting to be careful about her words, "but that's all he's ever been, that's all he is. Nothing more."

"Does he know that?" Alec asked.

"Yes, I mean…" Clary was suddenly flustered. "I've never said otherwise. He has to know."

"Don't be so sure," Alec said to himself. The he spoke to Clary, "If that's true, he's pretty clingy."

Clary grimaced, "I'm starting to notice." Then she sighed. "I'm sorry you saw that hug – I just did it, and I didn't see you…"

"It's fine," he said quickly. "I have no right to expect anything from you."

Clary sighed and wondered if he was really understanding when he continued. "I've told you what I feel – what I think I feel. What happens next is up to you."

Clary nodded. "And I've told you what I feel – or felt yesterday." Then she repeated herself, "Simon and I are just friends - nothing more. Please believe me." She wasn't sure why she felt so desperate to make him understand.

"I do. I feel the same way about some."

Clary wasn't sure she believed him but she nodded. "We both have things to work out, Alec. Jace, Magnus, Simon – maybe more?"

He just stared at her, so she continued, "And there are things to work out between you and me. I want to do that."

"But first is getting Jace back," Alec said. There was no emotion in the statement.

Clary looked down at her feet, took a breath, then looked back into his eyes. "That's what I said yesterday. I'm not so sure about that anymore." She could tell that what she said startled her. "I still want to do everything we can to get Jace back – I couldn't live with myself otherwise. But maybe we can figure out some things, work out some things between us along the way."

Alec smiled, and she wondered when she had last seen him do that. Relieved, she asked, "So who gets a date first – Magnus, or me?"

"Magnus has offered a drink 'sometime'. What's your offer?"

Clary shrugged, stood, and walked toward the door. Alec rose and followed her. She stopped as she opened the door.

"Recon?" She asked, "Tonight?"

"It's a date," he replied.

She turned around and pulled him into a hug. She could tell that it startled him, but he returned it. She felt the same feeling she had when he pulled her to him to keep her from the portal, the feeling she had tried to described to him the previous night – she felt safe, secure, that this was where she belonged.

It took some willpower, but she pulled herself way, turned, and as she left said, "Don't be late."


	3. The Game

The Expectations

"Look at you!" Isabelle exclaimed. "Not only on time, but early. Earlier than Alec."

"Didn't want to be late for my first sanctioned mission," Clary replied, smiling at Isabelle a little. The she added "Is this my first sanctioned mission?"

Isabelle just smirked.

"Is this mission sanctioned?" Clary asked a little tentatively, seriously wondering, before hearing Simon come up from behind her.

"Clary!" Simon said as the red-head turned around to face him. He quickly pulled her into a hug, but held on only briefly. He backed up enough to turn her head to a convenient spot, then planted a kiss on her lips.

She immediately pulled back, but he was pulling back as well. He had intended it as just a peck. Still, she took a step back.

"At first I thought you were avoiding me," he said, apparently unfazed by the distance she had put between them. "Then I heard about your mission tonight and I figured you were just preparing, getting briefed or whatever,"

"You can't come," Clary said quickly, trying to head him off. Simon's response surprised her.

"I know, Izzy told me." Clary looked at the other girl, surprised, as Simon continued. "She pointed out that I don't want to be outside right now, at least not until we're sure what Camille or Raphael are going to..."

Clary barely heard his voice trail off. He had probably noticed, as she had, how close Alec was to them. Her heart sank as she wondered if Alec had seen what had just happened between her and Simon.

"She's right," Alec said as he stood next to Isabelle. Clary was sure that he had put his sister between him and her on purpose. "You helped us spring Camille to get Clary's mother back. Word on the street right now is you're still at the top of Raphael's hit list - maybe Camille's hit list as well."

To his credit, Simon didn't flinch. "You're just loving this."

"Not at all," the Shadowhunter guy replied. "I can't wait to get you out of here." He turned, nodded to both Clary and Isabelle, and started walking.

"Got that Shadowhunter-mobile yet?" Simon threw at him as they walked out.

Clary felt her cheeks burning as they walked in the night air. Did Alec have some sort of 'Simon is making a move on Clary' intuition?

She stole glances at Alec, trying to determine just how much he had seen. She saw nothing, heard no emotion in the few things he said to Isabelle. He seemed to be ignoring her, and she couldn't stand it.

"I didn't want him to kiss me," Clary blurted out after a few minutes of walking.

Alec didn't change his pace, didn't look at her as he responded. "I've told you, I have no right to expect anything from you."

Clary pulled on his arm to get him to stop and face her. She could feel herself flush. "I'm giving you the right to expect better from me. I didn't want him to do that. I'll talk to him."

Alec smirked a little and nodded. "Well, okay. Expectations raised."

Isabelle, who had stopped with Alec and was watching them, let out a breath of exasperation. She then visibly rolled her eyes, turned and started walking toward their mission.

* * *

The Mission

"I really hope you know what you're doing." Isabelle told Clary as they watched Alec talk to someone Clary didn't recognize. They were in a club she had never seen, invisible to humans. She did not know if Alec had made himself visible or not.

"Hmm?" Clary asked, not turning to her, just watching Alec. She was trying to figure out if the man he was speaking to was human or something else.

"With Simon," Isabelle clarified. "I hope you know what you're doing with Simon. I'm not sure you do."

When Clary didn't respond, Isabelle added "and I'm not sure you care."

For some reason, that got Clary's attention. She turned to face the other girl.

"Care about Simon?" Clary repeated. "Of course I do."

Isabelle looked dubious.

Clary sighed and did not answer. She did not want to discuss Simon with Isabelle.

"You'll probably break Alec's heart as well. It looks like you've already started."

"No!" Clary defended. "We've barely..." she turned to look at Alec again. He was just turning to return to them. She looked at Isabelle. "We've barely started anything."

Isabelle looked at her, glanced to see how close Alec was, then said, "Whatever happened between you and Jace isn't their fault. Don't use them to get back at him or to replace him or anything like that."

"That's not what this is about." Clary claimed.

"What what's about?" Alec asked, looking between the two girls, though they didn't answer.

Finally, Isabelle smiled sweetly at her brother. "Get anything?"

Alec didn't say anything. He just took another look at each girl and nodded towards another part of the club, then he started walking. Clary hurried to catch up with him.

"Who was that?" she asked.

"An informant. This club may have picked up some of Pandemonium's demon activity." Then he stopped and looked at her. "We're just here to check, not to confront, or even be seen."

Clary nodded. "Recon. Got it."

He led them to a large, dimly-lit room, though a rune they had applied to her earlier allowed her to see clearly. She looked the people sitting at the tables in the room, not really seeing anything significant. She began to wonder if her Sight was working properly, or maybe she was just tired. Her mother had awakened only the day before, and she had spent very little time with Jocelyn.

Clary glanced at Alec and Isabelle. It looked like they were staring in the same direction. She tried to follow their eyes to a specific table, but didn't see anything unusual.

She closed her eyes and shook her head. Isabelle's words had bothered her, though not really her words about Alec. She knew what she was starting to feel for him. Isabelle's words about Jace didn't matter either. Isabelle didn't know about her and Jace. Clary had not told her, and she was sure Jace would have not said anything either. Why would Isabelle even bring him up now? He was gone, and he was her brother. She didn't need a replacement for him.

Isabelle's words about Simon did ring a little true, though. Not that she was using him to replace Jace, but that she was going to end up hurting him. She had known Simon forever, and was not really acting any different than usual around him, though maybe he was starting to act different around her. Maybe Alec was right about Simon getting clingy. She didn't want to talk to Simon about this, but...

Clary shook her head and looked at Alec. He and Isabelle seemed to be looking at the same place in the room, but were now whispering to each other. She glanced around the room as she thought about getting close enough to them to hear what they were saying to each other. Then she found herself taking in a quick breath.

"Jace?" she said quickly under her breath. She moved without thinking. "Jace?" she repeated louder as she ran towards the table he was sitting at.

She barely heard Alec's "Clary, no!" as she reached the table. Jace was looking at her, then he wasn't, or at least it wasn't Jace who was looking at her. It was a demon.

Clary tried to stop herself, but could see the demon rising to move towards her. She felt a push from Alec as he put himself between her and the demon. Then she heard Isabelle's whip crack.

She had enough wits about her to pull out her seraph blade as she regained her footing. Alec was collapsing. She reached over Alec to plunge the blade into the demon who was trying to avoid another assault from the whip.

"Alec!" Clary cried as she knelt down. She glanced at Isabelle, who was standing over them, pulling out her stele, and then Clary looked around them. She hadn't noticed if anyone, or anything else was sitting at the table with the demon, but if there was, they were gone.

Isabelle knelt and tried to push Clary aside. Clary fought back.

"I need to get a rune on him," Isabelle said. Then Clary tried to give the other girl some room to work as she noticed something.

"He's not moving," Clary said.

"I can see that!" Isabelle said sharply, adding a "Damn!" as she tried to steady her hands to make the mark.

The mark was still not made when they heard "Stand aside, Ladies," from behind them. Looking up they saw Magnus.

Isabelle looked back to her brother, "I need to..."

"No!" Magnus said. "I need to get him back to your Institute. He needs more than your rune can do for him."

Isabelle hesitated, then put her stele away. As she rose, Magnus said, "Help me get him up."

Both girls did what they could to pull him up, and with Magnus, they soon had Alec in a standing position his arm around Magnus' shoulder being supported by the Warlock.

"I can only take him. You'll have to find your own way back," Magnus said, then with a few words, he and Alec were gone.

Clary and Isabelle were immediately moving out of the club and onto the streets.

"What the hell was that?" Isabelle challenged as they moved.

Clary could see that the other girl was livid. Clary herself felt sick. She had no idea why she had done what she had done.

"Not now," was all Clary could say as she picked up her pace.

* * *

The Game

The trip back to the Institute was much quicker than the trip out had been. They went straight to the Infirmary, where they could see that Alec was in a bed, though he was still not moving. Isabell stopped briefly as they passed Mayrse. Clary ignored the older woman's glare as she rushed to the bedside. Isabelle was there a few seconds later.

Magnus was standing at the head of the bed, looking down on Alec, his concern showing.

"Is he..." Clary began, but didn't want to finish.

"He's sleeping. I've done what he needed." Magnus replied. He gave her a weak smile. "He woke up for a little, long enough for me to tell that he'll be fine. Now he mostly needs rest."

Clary closed her eyes and exhaled in relief. She took one of Alec's hands. She heard Magnus draw in a breath as if he was going to object, but nothing was said.

"It's my fault," Clary whispered, as she used the hand not holding Alec's to wipe away a tear she felt forming.

"Yes it is," Isabelle said from across the bed. Clary glanced up and saw a brief, accusing look in Isabelle's face, but the other girl quickly turned her attention back to her brother.

Clary sighed. "I didn't..." she started to say, then turned to look at Magnus. Magnus was staring at her.

"How did you know where we were?" Clary asked. "Were you following him?"

Magnus' expression changed as he looked from her to Alec. "No, though I may have a pretty good idea of where he is most of the time, lately, and I can tell if he's in trouble." He looked back at Clary. "He and I have some unfinished business." His look changed as he studied her.

She couldn't stand his gaze, so she swallowed and turned back to look at Alec. Really, he looked like he was sleeping, though that was what he looked like when he collapsed.

"Oh, I see," Magnus said from behind her. He said no more, so Clary turned to look at him again.

"See what?" she asked.

"More than I wanted to see," Magnus said, his look hardening. "Game on, Clary Fairchild. And since I didn't nearly kill him tonight, I think we both know who's ahead." He then turned from her and walked away. As he passed Maryse, who was returning to her son's side, he said, "I'll be back to check on him in an hour."

"Clary?" she heard from next to her as she watched Magnus leave. "What was that about?"

Clary just stared at Jocelyn briefly, then pulled her mother into a tight hug.


End file.
